ActiveReports 15 - Licensing a Build Machine

ActiveReports 15 - Licensing a Build Machine

Posted by: rkuehn on 23 February 2021, 4:24 am EST

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  rkuehn

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  Posted 23 February 2021, 4:24 am EST

  I’ve converted to ActiveReports 15 and am now trying to license my build machine. I’m using VS 2019 on Windows 10 Pro and targeting .NET Framework 4.7.2 in my solution. My solution is a .NET web application and I have various ActiveReports references in several of the libraries in my solution.

  I’ve read the articles below and have tried to license my build machine:

  https://www.grapecity.com/activereportsnet/docs/v15/online/licensing-compiled-code.html
  
  https://www.grapecity.com/activereportsnet/docs/v15/online/licensing-with-pipelines.html

  My expectation was that I should follow the steps in the “Licensing Compiled Code” article. I’ve created a .gclicx license file by targeting my main solution library and included the file in that project with the “Build Action” set to “Embedded Resource”. That didn’t help. Then, I included the same file in the first project that fails compilation with the “Build Action” set to “Embedded Resource”. That also didn’t help.

  Please help me understand the steps I need to follow to license my build machine for my .NET web application. Thanks in advance.

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  rkuehn

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  Posted 23 February 2021, 4:32 am EST

  I also read this article that mentions both a licenses.licx file and that licenses need to be embedded in the App_Licenses.dll file:

  https://www.grapecity.com/activereportsnet/docs/v15/online/licensing-errors.html

  Please help me understand the directions I need to follow to license my build machine for my .NET web application. Thanks in advance.

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  mohitg

  

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  Posted 23 February 2021, 6:15 pm EST

  Hello,

  Please use the following line of code:
  
  1: Run cmd as administrator
  
  2: Switch to C:\ProgramData\GrapeCity\gclm folder
  
  3: Enter the following: gclm.exe “e88c1aa3-2781-44bb-b639-765c9ef6d15c” -lc ./.gclicx [entry assembly name].[yourclasslibraryname].dll"
  
  4: Check that .gclicx file is generated in C:\ProgramData\GrapeCity\gclm folder.
  
  5: Open the project in which AR assemblies is used
  
  6: Add .gclicx file to the above project and make it embedded.
  
  7: Fix references, build and run WebApplication project

  EntryAssemblyName- It is a webapplication, so it can run under w3wp.exe, iisexpress.exe etc processes (Remove the exe in the name while adding entry assembly name in above command)

  Hope it helps.

  Thanks,
  
  Mohit

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  rkuehn

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  Posted 24 February 2021, 9:11 am EST

  @mohitg
  
  This solution did not work for me, as I’m still getting the “Could not load file or assembly ‘GrapeCity.ActiveReports’ or one of its dependencies. Invalid pointer (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80004003 (E_POINTER))'” error as before. Therefore, I have more questions. I ran the following command to get the license file then followed the other steps you listed except the last one:

  gclm.exe “e88c1aa3-2781-44bb-b639-765c9ef6d15c” -lc ./.gclicx w3wp.MyDLLName.dll"

  Here are my current points of confusion:

  • I have no idea what you mean by “Fix references”.
  • I’m also not sure how the license generator knows where to find the DLL since it’s not in that folder and I didn’t give it the path.
  • I’m not sure whether I need to run this process for each DLL that references AR or just one. If just one, I need to know whether this single file needs to be added to every DLL that references AR.
  • I’m starting to wonder if AR 15 requires an installation on every build server.

  Who can I call for help during business hours ET on Thursday?

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  mohitg

  

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  Posted 25 February 2021, 1:40 am EST

  Hello,

  Here are my current points of confusion:

  • I have no idea what you mean by “Fix references”.

  I meant that you need to refer the dll again after building it with gclix file

  • I’m also not sure how the license generator knows where to find the DLL since it’s not in that folder and I didn’t give it the path.

  It needs only name of the dll not the actual dll.

  • I’m not sure whether I need to run this process for each DLL that references AR or just one. If just one, I need to know whether this single file needs to be added to every DLL that references AR.

  Yes, you need to add the add the .gclicx file in every dll that contains the AR assembly.

  • I’m starting to wonder if AR 15 requires an installation on every build server.

  Who can I call for help during business hours ET on Thursday?
  
  You can call at “412.681.4343” during the business hours.

  Hope it helps.

  Thanks,
  
  Mohit

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  kev

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  Posted 9 June 2021, 2:35 am EST

  Just looking into this in order to move some of our intranet sites to build/deploy using azure dev ops. I’m not sure if I’m doing something wrong, but I tried the following command:

  gclm.exe "e88c1aa3-2781-44bb-b639-765c9ef6d15c" -lc ./.gclicx w3wp.Utilities.dll"
  

  On doing this the license manager opens up telling me I’m already activated and giving me options “Details”, “Activate” and “Deactivate”. Activate asks me to supply a serial key, but since the product is already activated I was reluctant to do that. I quit the license manager and a .gclicx file had been created, but it was zero length??

  This is a net5.0 site and we have two assemblies that use AR, Utilities.dll and Utilities.Shared.dll. There is also a Utilities.exe. I’m assuming (once I’ve got past the problem above) I just need to follow the process for the two DLLs - the .EXE is irrelevant?

  Currently using AR14, if its relevant. We have a license for AR15, but this project hasn’t been upgraded yet

  Also, what’s the significance of the guid in the command? Is this just a magic number we should always use, or should it be replaced with something specific to our account?

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  kev

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  Posted 9 June 2021, 3:21 am EST

  Looks like this requires AR15 - can we do something similar for earlier versions? We’ve quite a few sites/apps and aren’t ready to upgrade them all in one go!

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  mohitg

  

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  Posted 10 June 2021, 3:32 am EST

  Hello,

  I have replied in the following case:
  
  https://www.grapecity.com/forums/ar-dev/azure-devops-pipelines-hos#helloyou-are-using-the-ar1

  Please reply to above case only to avoid confusion.

  Thanks,
  
  Mohit